


Late

by Fire_Bear



Series: PrUK Week 2017 [1]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: (I suppose), (briefly) - Freeform, Childhood Friends, Day 1, Fantasy, Knights - Freeform, M/M, Magic, Pruk Week 2017, Reunions, Separations
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-18
Updated: 2017-06-18
Packaged: 2018-11-10 00:12:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11115825
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fire_Bear/pseuds/Fire_Bear
Summary: When Arthur was a child, his best friend told him he'd be back in a few months. Time has passed and Arthur hasn't seen him since.





	Late

**Author's Note:**

> Guess who’s doing another Tumblr event week thingy. This person!

To Arthur, aside from his family, his best friend was the most important person in his life. They spent every moment they could with each other, playing games and exploring the small town and its environs. They pretended to be noble knights or pious princes or massive monsters or wicked warlocks, shrieking as the tides turned in the other's favour. Fairly often, they would run through town only to be stopped by the baker or the sweetmeat seller or the chocolatier and given something for free. When they could slip away from the watchful eyes of the townspeople, they would play with bunnies or birds or other small animals at the edge of the forest. Neither of them ventured far and Arthur was always protected by his older companion.

So when Gilbert came to his house one day, asking to speak to him, Arthur was shocked to hear that his precious friend was leaving.

"But why?" Arthur asked again, clutching tightly to Gilbert's hands as they stood out of sight of everyone.

"Dad wants to learn some new thing for making his clocks and stuff," Gilbert replied. "Or something like that. It'll only be for a few months and then I'll be back!"

Arthur wasn't completely convinced. "Really?" he asked, eyes narrowed.

The older boy nodded earnestly. "That's what Dad said! It'll be a few months and then we can come back and everything'll go back to normal."

"You'll forget all about me," Arthur murmured, ducking his head to hide the tears that were forming.

Gilbert let go of one of Arthur's hands and, for a second, Arthur thought he was about to disappear. Before he could properly panic, however, Gilbert's fingers took hold of his chin and pulled his face up to look at him. Gilbert's oddly coloured eyes were hard with determination, his lips twisted into a frown of sorts. His expression took Arthur's breath away and he suddenly knew that Gilbert wasn't lying to him.

"I promise you," said Gilbert, "that I will come back to you."

For a while, only the birds could be heard, flitting between trees and buildings. The town's bustling was distant but shouts carried on the breeze, invading their intimate moment. Both boys stood absolutely still, barely breathing. Then Arthur took a deep breath and nodded, holding up his hand, pinky out.

"And I swear that I will wait for you."

They linked their pinkies, staying together for just a scant moment more.

* * *

Time passed and found Arthur in his herb garden, cleaning it up after having been gone for a few months. He was almost finished and only had one more bed to weed before he could get back to his normal life in his lonely cottage. Animals came and went through the forest, a pair of deer slowly meandering past. A fawn hurried after them but stopped and stared as Arthur placed his hands on the small of his back and bent backwards, groaning as he stretched out a kink.

Everything was peaceful. Nobody was bothering him. He could do his experiments without need for caution. That idea for a transportation potion could still work...

Soft smile gracing his face, Arthur decided it was time for a brief break and turned to head back inside. At that exact same moment, noises from somewhere close made him pause, brow slowly furrowing. It sounded awfully like someone's horse was charging through the forest. Again. Whoever it was, Arthur hoped he would hurry by and not stop to talk to him. He wasn't sure he had enough tea for a guest.

The noises got louder and, as they got closer, Arthur could hear someone shouting: "Woah! C'mon girl, what's gotten into you-!"

Finally, the horse and its unfortunate rider came into view. It was a beautiful palomino horse which was bucking and prancing its way through the trees, weaving its way past the trunks. Arthur was impressed that the rider was still astride it. Whoever they were, they wore armour and seemed to be clinging on by determination and the presumably phenomenal strength of their thighs.

However, even the rider had to get tired at some point and, just a few yards from Arthur's cottage, he was thrown from his horse. Arthur sighed, knowing that the rider was about to lose all his possessions as the horse tried to rush away. He calmly walked along to the gate in his little, white fence and let himself out. That caught the attention of the horse who brayed in panic. It seemed about to gallop away but Arthur raised a hand and murmured a spell, one designed to calm all animals – and humans, too. Immediately, the horse stopped, stamping its feet until it stilled completely, breathing heavily.

"Wow!" said the rider, who had apparently recovered quickly. "How'd you do that? She's really skittish and I think a snake spooked her. Or a rabbit. I'm not sure which it was..."

Arthur glanced up at the person and realised that they were a man with white hair. His hair had perhaps gone that way prematurely as his face was still young: he barely looked older than Arthur. The armour he wore was marked and scratched and Arthur had no doubt that he was used to getting into fights. A big dent in his chestplate spoke volumes of the sorts of near-death experiences he had gotten into.

Rolling his eyes, Arthur moved closer to the horse and lifted his hand to her nose. "Magic," he explained shortly. "Were you going anywhere in particular? Perhaps I can help you." _And get you away from my cottage quicker_.

"Nah," said the man. "I'm just looking for-" He broke off, staring at the cottage before looking back at Arthur in surprise.

Sighing, Arthur stroked calming hands along the horse's neck. "Are you looking for me?" he asked, resigning himself to the fact that he was about to be asked to go on yet another journey.

"Yeah... Yeah, I think I am," said the man slowly, his tone so odd that Arthur stopped what he was doing to turn to him fully and frown.

"You  _think_ ?"

"Yeah... Artie?"

At that, Arthur stilled, confused. Who in the world was telling people he was called 'Artie'? Was it that blasted king that kept calling him in when the 'spooky stuff' was going on? He was going to make sure that idiot's life got significantly spookier!

"My name is Arthur," he said, pointedly. "Who sent you?"

"No-Nobody sent me," said the man, looking shocked. "Don't you recognise me?" The man moved closer, staring intently at Arthur.

Still bewildered, Arthur looked him over. There was definitely something familiar about him. He couldn't quite put his finger on why he was until he looked into the man's eyes. Then his eyes widened in recognition.

The man had a certain, unique set of eyes; red overpowering the blue.

"Gil?" he breathed.

"Artie!" Gilbert cried and threw himself forward. Before Arthur could react, he found himself crushed in a hug.

It was the most contact with a fellow human he had had in quite some time.

He stiffened and waited until Gilbert pulled away, frowning slightly. Then he stepped back, further away, staring at his old friend. "Gil...? Wha-?" Arthur shook his head, closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Reminding himself of everything that had happened since their last day together, Arthur stepped around the horse, making sure her head was between him and Gilbert. "What are you  _doing_ here?" he demanded.

"What do you mean?" Gilbert asked, confusion marring his features.

"I'm in the middle of the forest, Gilbert," he replied, flatly.

"Well, yeah, but I asked someone in town where you were and they said you were here. After, I don't know, far too many drinks bought for him, anyway." Gilbert shook his head, glancing around him. "Why would they not know? And where was everyone? The town's practically deserted."

Arthur winced at the question. There was a very good reason why he wasn't living in the town any more... Instead of answering, though, he said, "Why are you  _here_ ?"

"What-? I told you I'd come back, Artie," Gilbert declared, grinning. He spread his arms wide, as if inviting Arthur to hug him. When Arthur only scowled at him, Gilbert faltered. "What's wrong?" he asked, concern lacing his voice.

"Months," said Arthur, simply.

"Months?" Gilbert repeated, dumbly.

"That's how long you told me you'd be away."

"Ah," said Gilbert quietly, but Arthur spoke over him.

"That's how long you _promised me_ that you'd be away for. You _promised_ to come back. You _promised_ – and then you stopped writing back."

"I can explain-"

"No," said Arthur, shortly. "No, I don't want explanations, Gil. I _never_ wanted explanations. I just wanted- Actually, never mind." He folded his arms over his chest, eyes narrowed. "You're back. Well done on keeping your promise. Now, go do whatever it is that's kept you occupied all these _years_."

When Gilbert only stared at him, Arthur sighed, shook his head and turned to go back to his garden. He slowed when Gilbert spoke up once more. "My parents decided to stay in Prany. They wouldn't let me come back, not even when I told them about my promise. I tried, I really did. Ran away so often people just called me 'the runaway'. But they kept catching me until... I..."

"Gave up?" suggested Arthur, turning once he stood in front of his gate.

Gilbert grimaced. "I decided to wait until I was old enough to come back to see you. But... I was, er... scared you'd be angry with me if I told you in a letter about it. So I just..."

"Made me angry by not writing to me for years."

"Haha, yeah... I was kind of an idiot as a kid."

"No kidding," said Arthur, flatly. "Now that you've cleared that up, though, you can get going-"

"No way!" cried Gilbert, stepping forward. Arthur backed up in response, his bum hitting against the gate and making it swing slightly. Gilbert stopped, fists clenched as he kept himself from moving further. "I came back to-"

"I don't care what you wanted to do!" Arthur snapped. "I've got things to be getting on with and you're-"

"You broke your promise!" Gilbert shouted, taking a couple more steps forward.

Gripping the gate behind him, prepared to leap backwards and cast a barrier spell around his home, Arthur frowned at him. "What are you blabbering on about? I did no-"

"You swore to stay there!" Gilbert declared, pointing at Arthur, almost jabbing his chest. When had he gotten so close?

Arthur opened his mouth to argue when, suddenly, he recalled what Gilbert meant and what he had actually said. His eyes widened and his chest felt suddenly tight. To hide his reaction, he turned his back on Gilbert, clutching at the gate but moving no further. "Stay where?" he muttered, trying to sound confused but sounding more petulant.

"In the town. Why are you out here?!"

"I can't be in the town," Arthur quietly told him, his grip on the gate tightening.

"What are you talk-?"

"I came into my magic!" Arthur exclaimed, shoving at the gate. He stumbled through into his garden. Coming to a stop a few paces in, Arthur hugged himself wishing Gilbert would just leave him to his solitude. "Didn't you see... see the ruins?"

An audible gasp came from behind him, far closer than he expected. "You... You're that powerful?"

"Yes," Arthur whispered, trying to force the memories away. They weren't meant to be thought of during the day, only fit to be cried over at night when it was guaranteed that no-one would see him.

"What happened...?"

Biting his lip, Arthur wondered whether he should go into details. Should he tell him of that awful moment when he'd lost everything? Should he describe the fear of everyone around him? Should he explain how he had been taken away to learn how to control it, alone and terrified of the witch who'd taken him in? Shaking his head, Arthur decided he wasn't ready to share all of that, not with someone he no longer knew.

"I waited," he finally said. "I waited and waited and _waited_ – for you, for a letter, for _something_. After a couple of years, my parents knew you wouldn't be back. They told me so and I... I came into my powers. A witch took me away, probably saved me from a death by mob." Arthur sighed. "Now I try to keep to myself and it mostly works – until someone like _you_ comes calling to drag me off on some sort of _job_."

When only the familiar noises of the forest greeted his statement, Arthur turned to see where Gilbert had gone to. Had he accidentally magicked him away somewhere in his heartache? But his old friend was staring at him, his expression pained. Slowly, a fond smile formed, the tears gathering at the corners of his eyes perhaps ones of happiness.

"You waited," Gilbert said, softly. "And... you're still waiting, right? Like you promised."

Arthur's breath left him and he nodded frantically, unable to explain himself any better than that. Neither of them moved, both of them holding back their tears. Then, almost in sync, Gilbert rushed towards him and Arthur unfolded his arms and they met in a tight embrace. Murmurs of apologies and muffled cries of their names assaulted their ears as Arthur buried his face in Gilbert's neck.

Eventually, they got themselves under control and Gilbert pulled away enough to run his hands down Arthur's arms and catch hold of his hands. He gave them a squeeze and Arthur returned the gesture. "I'm back," he told Arthur.

"Don't leave me like that again," Arthur demanded, unable to stop himself from pouting.

Gilbert grinned and let go of Arthur's hands to hold one up, pinky out. "I promise," he declared. His eyes danced with mirth and joy; Arthur couldn't say no.

They connected their pinkies and kept their tight grip on each other.


End file.
